Thursday, October 30, 2008

This is a picture of a bank run during the great depression. Of course there were no crowds when people withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars (maybe it was millions) from Washington Mutual before it merged with Chase recently. Maybe because most of us do banking online. I have always felt secure with money. I've taken care of myself for so long. When it was just me, I waited tables, substitute taught, then started working at the hospital. When I have Monet, I still wasn't stressed financially. I probably would have been, had I not had the job that I have. I've just lived modestly I guess. Always had roommates so my rent has been minimal, never got a fancy car ( I love my affordable honda civic), and I don't shop like I used to in Sacramento. I give the beach the credit for that. Surfing and playing at the beach is free! And that's what I'd rather be doing than anything else. Lately I have been overwhelmed with stress about money! I feel like I'm walking in thick mud and can't get out sometimes. Most of the reason is that I'm crippled in a way...i'm pregnant and can't surf or run on the beach. So, I've been shopping more....maybe as a way to relieve stress. Not good! Our apartment is super cheap, but it's smaller than small and there's about to be one more little person in it. The main reason I'm going on this tangent is that my employer has again changed our medical coverage for the 3rd year in a row. Now, it's jumping from 160$ per month for Monet & I to 225$ per month! Does that match inflation?!? No! I could pay less for private insurance, but no one will insure me now because I'm pregnant and it's considered a "pre-existing condition." I know that this should not put a huge dent in my wallet...but it annoys me. I'm sure shopping puts a much bigger strain on my budget....but it's almost like an addiction. I used to be WAY worse. Now, I mostly thrift store shop, but still end up spending money that I probably didn't need to.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Robby & I took monet to the pumpkin patch last weekend. It's the best one I've ever been to....there's pony's, bumper boats on water, cotton candy, a big bounce house slide and a lot of pumpkins. Monet wanted to wear her mermaid halloween costume I made for her. I was kind of sad when some of the sequens came off, but she had fun with it. The workers were so nice. Monet was skiddish on the ponies and asked the worker if he would hold her hand....the whole ride! He was so nice and walked with her as you can see. We drive by this pumpkin patch everyday on the way to work and monet gets excited each time.

Monday, October 6, 2008

Robby, Monet and I took a short trip up the coast to Malibu this past weekend. We met up with my cousin Michael, his wife Ann, their super cute/squishy baby Luke, and Uncle Ben and Aunt Sue at Paradise Cove Beach Cafe for brunch. http://www.paradisecovemalibu.com/beachcafe/index.htmRobby surfed early at Surfrider,which is on the North side of the Malibu pier. It was beautiful. They have a long right break at this beach. These pictures aren't in order. This one is from Sunday. We went to Blackies in Newport because Huntington was too big. Robby made a sand slide for Monet. She loved it. This is Robby just before he got covered up in Newport. Michael and his baby Luke. This baby is soooo cute. I love him. I was putting my burnt baby book back together in a new scrapbook and there are a lot of pictures of Michael. He is the oldest cousin of mine on my mom's side and I am the second, so we were really close. I used to follow him around and tell people at school, "my cousin knows karate!" I thought he was so cool. I am really lucky to have such an awesome family. I'll try to post some old pictures soon.

Friday, October 3, 2008

I couldn't sleep the other night because I was thinking about politics. It is a fascinating time right now with our economy on the brink, the US borrowing money from other countries(instead of the other way around), a war going on for the 5th year now.... It makes me angry that this war was was supposedly started to fight terror, but we as the US, haven't been able to control or find the terrorist leaders that are the main threat??!? I have never actually practiced my right to vote. This is not out of laziness, but out of a lack of belief in our government. I look at politicians as educated car salesmen. I think our nation was built on righteous and strong principals, but things have changed. Maybe there's just too many people and too much power. I did register to vote early on in this election. This is the first time I have really felt like it is worth trying to put someone in power that I want to believe in. I'm not registered under any particular party. I took a quiz online and it stated I belong in the Green/Independent party. Here's why I'm voting for Obama:1. He wants to pull troops out and end this war and has a time line for that. McCain supported Bush in wanting more troops there. McCain wants to "WIN" this war. Sometimes, it's better to step away. Remember Vietnam?2. Statistics like 60 Afghan children killed by US mistargeted air strike. I want this war to be over!3. A retired beauty queen with a young family to raise, running for Vice President of the United States of America?!? Are you kidding me!4. I work in downtown Long Beach in the ghetto. There area a lot of shootings. Unless you are eating what you hunt-give the police the guns. 5. I want my President and Vice President to be smarter than me. Guess what, I have a college degree too, just like Palin. It's not that difficult. But did I graduate from Harvard? McCain was at the bottom of his graduating class!...remind you of anyone? Bush Junior maybe? And Palin has a BA.6. Even if Obama doesn't do what he says he will, like lower taxes for the middle class, at least he is not blatantly stating he will lower taxes for those making more that $250,000 per year like the other party is.

I recently read an article in Rollingstone, which is usually cynical and one sided, but I liked this little excerpt:As I watch Obama on the campaign trail, I know I am listening to the same old s*#$, delivered by a candidate who could cross the Atlantic on a bridge constructed entirely from Wall Street cash culled for him by party hacks and insiders. But, I suddenly don't care. It's not just that the alternative is four years of the madman John McCain. It's that, if Obama wins, it will be interesting to find out, at long last, if there really can be something truly different about someone who sounds so much the same.

I just feel the same way as the writer in the article. I don't believe Obama is a saint or any politician is for that matter. I just hope he can do what he says he will. We'll see if he gets a chance to try.